An embodiment of the present invention may therefore comprise a warm window system comprising A warm window system comprising an outside pane of glass; an inside pane of glass that is coated with a tin oxide layer over substantially all of a inner surface of the inside pane of glass; at least one spacer that is disposed between the inside pane of glass and the outside pane of glass in a peripheral area, the inside pane of glass and the outside pane of glass being substantially aligned so that the inner surface of the inside pane of glass faces an interior portion of the warm window system; at least two buss bars placed in the interior portion of the warm window system adjacent to the at least one spacer, the buss bars comprising: a first base portion that is disposed adjacent to an inside surface of the outside pane; a first arm portion that is connected to the first base portion and forms an acute angle from the first base portion; a second base portion that is disposed adjacent to an inside surface of the outside pane; a second arm portion connected to the second base portion that forms an acute angle between the second base portion; a curved contact surface connected to the first arm portion and the second arm portion that flattens when the buss bar is compressed between the outside pane of glass and the inside pane of glass, the buss bars having a modulus of elasticity that causes the contact surface to be forced against the inner surface of the inside pane of glass, resulting in the contact surface producing a sufficient amount of physical force on the inner surface of the inside pane of glass to create an electrical contact between the contact surface and the tin oxide layer on the inner surface of the inside pane of glass so that the contact surface is capable of carrying a sufficient current to warm the warm window system, and a sufficient amount of physical force to hold the buss bars in a substantially stationary position in the interior portion of the warm window system.
An embodiment of the present invention may therefore further comprise a method of applying current to a tin oxide layer in a heated window system comprising: assembling a first pane of glass, having the tin oxide layer disposed on an inner surface of the first pane of glass, at least one spacer and a second pane of glass; providing at least two buss bars comprising: a first base portion that is disposed adjacent to an inside surface of the outside pane; a first arm portion that is connected to the first base portion and forms an acute angle from the first base portion; a second base portion that is disposed adjacent to an inside surface of the outside pane; a second arm portion connected to the second base portion that forms an acute angle between the second base portion; the buss bars having a modulus of elasticity that causes the buss bars to produce a sufficient amount of physical force on the tin oxide layer disposed on the inner surface of the first pane of glass to create an electrical contact between the buss bars and the tin oxide layer disposed on the inner surface of the first pane of glass that is capable of carrying a sufficient current to warm the heated window system, and a sufficient amount of physical force to hold the buss bars in a substantially stationary position in the heated window system; placing the at least two buss bars between the first pane of glass and the second pane of glass; applying a current to one of the at least two buss bars so that current flows between the at least two buss bars and through the tin oxide layer.
An embodiment of the present invention may therefore further comprise a warm window system comprising: an outside pane of glass; an inside pane of glass that is coated with a tin oxide layer over substantially all of an inner surface of the inside pane of glass; at least one spacer that is disposed between the inside pane of glass and the outside pane of glass in a peripheral area, the inside pane of glass and the outside pane of glass being substantially aligned so that the inner surface of the inside pane of glass faces an interior portion of the warm window system; at least two buss bars placed in the interior portion of the warm window system adjacent to the at least one space, the buss bars comprising: a first base portion that is disposed adjacent to an inside surface of the outside pane; a second base portion that is disposed adjacent to an inside surface of the outside pane; a curved contact surface connected to the first base portion and the second base portion that flattens when the buss bar is compressed between the outside pane of glass and the inside pane of glass, the buss bars having a modulus of elasticity that causes the contact surface to be forced against the inner surface of the inside pane of glass, resulting in the contact surface producing a sufficient amount of physical force on the inner surface of the inside pane of glass to create an electrical contact between the contact surface and the tin oxide layer on the inner surface of the inside pane of glass so that the contact surface is capable of carrying a sufficient current to warm the warm window system, and a sufficient amount of physical force to hold the buss bars in a substantially stationary position in the interior portion of the warm window system.
An embodiment of the present invention may therefore further comprise a method of applying current to a tin oxide layer in a heated window system comprising: assembling a first pane of glass, having the tin oxide layer disposed on an inner surface of the first pane of glass, at least one spacer and a second pane of glass; providing at least two buss bars comprising: a first base portion that is disposed adjacent to an inside surface of the outside pane; a second base portion that is disposed adjacent to an inside surface of the outside pane; the buss bars having a modulus of elasticity that causes the buss bars to produce a sufficient amount of physical force on the tin oxide layer disposed on the inner surface of the first pane of glass to create an electrical contact between the buss bars and the tin oxide layer disposed on the inner surface of the first pane of glass that is capable of carrying a sufficient current to warm the heated window system, and a sufficient amount of physical force to hold the buss bars in a substantially stationary position in the heated window system; placing the at least two buss bars between the first pane of glass and the second pane of glass, applying a current to one of the at least two buss bars so that current flows between the at least two buss bars and through the tin oxide layer.
An embodiment of the present invention may therefore further comprise a method of controlling application of an ac power signal to a warm window system comprising: providing a first conductive layer disposed on a first pane of glass in the warm window system; providing a second conductive layer disposed on a second pane of glass in the warm window system; connecting the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer disposed on a second pane of glass of the warm window system; connecting the second conductive layer to a control terminal on a relay that controls activation of power terminals on the relay; connecting the ac power signal to the power terminals; generating a low voltage dc voltage signal wherever a controller detects that the ac power signal is to be applied to the warm window system; applying the low voltage dc signal to the first conductive layer disposed on the first pane of glass of the warm window system to complete a circuit through the first conductive layer when the first pane of glass is not broken and the second conductive layer when the second pane of glass is not broken, so that the low voltage dc signal is applied to the control terminals on the relay to activate the relay and cause the ac power signal to be applied to the warm window system.
An embodiment of the present invention may therefore further comprise a safety circuit that controls the application of an ac power signal to a warm window system comprising: a controller that generates a low voltage dc signal whenever the ac power signal is to be applied to the warm window system; a first conductive layer disposed on a first pane of glass of the warm window system that is connected to receive the low voltage dc signal; a second conductive layer disposed on a second pane of glass of the warm window system that is connected to the first conductive layer to receive the low voltage dc signal; a relay that has ac power terminals that are connected to the ac power signal and a control terminal that is connected to the second conductive layer that receives the low voltage dc signal and activates the power terminals in response to receipt of the low voltage dc signal on the control terminal to apply the ac power signal to the warm window system.